TOPLEY EXPECTS WINDIES FANS TO CREATE INCREDIBLE CAULDRON DURING SUPER 8S PHASE

Let's get this party started... that's the feeling right now as the ICC Men's T20 World Cup moves from the United States permanently across to the Caribbean for the all-important Super Eight stage.

The New York skyscrapers, Dallas cowboys and Florida monsoons have been replaced with rum punch, reggae music and crystal clear blue beaches.

And while the Super Eight phase may kickoff in Antigua at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium with the Proteas taking on surprise qualifiers co-hosts USA, the box-office attraction gets underway a few hours later in St Lucia where fellow co-hosts West Indies pair up against long-time rivals and defending champions England.

It was almost a near-miss for Jos Buttler’s team after surviving numerous scares - and various weather conditions - in qualifying for the Super Eight’s, but they are here now and are raring to go.

England are blessed with a host of Betway SA20 stars in Buttler (Paarl Royals), Moeen Ali (Joburg Super Kings), Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt (both Pretoria Capitals), Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone (both MI Cape Town) and Reece Topley (Durban's Super Giants).

Fast bowler Jordan Archer was also a MI Cape Town Wildcard in Season 1.

And it's this group that forms the core of taking on the dangerous and explosive Windies outfit tonight.

Topley, in particular, is expecting a carnival atmosphere ignited by a batting onslaught at the Darren Sammy Stadium, which just a few nights ago was lit up by his Durban's Super Giants teammate Nicholas Pooran, who struck an electrifying 98 off just 53 balls. 

“It's going to be incredible. They'll (Windies fans) try and sort of rally them and create this cauldron of an atmosphere. It's going to be incredible,” he said.

“(On the surface) The wickets have been kind to the bowlers so far so it might be time to take a bit of medicine.

“We might be in the business of problem solving now. Things are a bit more complicated as a bowler but the mission is the same. Fundamentally it’s still the same – you’re trying to nullify someone else’s strengths.

“You can probably say towards the end that a single is a win now, whereas last week you could be a bit more attacking and a bit more aggressive with field placings.”

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Topley has, of course, played in T20 Leagues all over the world where he has been forced to adapt to the conditions routinely in order to be successful.

The lanky left-arm seamer would particularly have learnt a great deal during his two seasons at DSG, whose home ground Kingsmead is very similar to the Caribbean surfaces.

“I enjoy playing franchise competitions here, there, and everywhere and I'm probably at a point where I don't want to say no to playing in various competitions. I've got an amazing team in Durban’s Super Giants,” Topley said.

Equally, the 30-year-old will have greater motivation to show off his skills in the Caribbean after suffering injuries at both the last T20 World Cup and 50-overs World Cup.

“Yeah, obviously injuries are not by design or anything like that, they kind of happen. I'm quite comfortable that in the past it was nothing down to me, I sort of crossed every box, crossed every T, dotted every I and all that. I left no stone unturned and things just happened, it's part of the game,” he said.

“I've just kept going with that and luckily, I'm here, still in one piece and it's the Super Eight’s. I think it's a really exciting week hopefully like I just said there's going to be a time later in life that you look back at this week of being a really poignant and successful week that helped us achieve winning a World Cup out here.”

SQUADS FOR ST LUCIA

Jos Buttler (captain – Paarl Royals), Moeen Ali (Joburg Super Kings), Jofra Archer (MI Cape Town), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran (MI Cape Town), Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks (Pretoria Capitals), Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone (MI Cape Town), Adil Rashid (Pretoria Capitals), Phil Salt (Pretoria Capitals), Reece Topley (Durban’s Super Giants), Mark Wood.

West Indies squad: Rovman Powell (captain), Alzarri Joseph, Johnson Charles, Roston Chase, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Akeal Hosein, Shamar Joseph, Brandon King, Obed McCoy (Paarl Royals), Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran (Durban’s Super Giants), Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd (Joburg Super Kings).

Time: 2:30am (SA time)

Images: ICC/Getty